Burglar-proof car



(No Model.) 2's`heets-sheet 1.

J. BEBRMAKER.

,K BURGLAR PROOF GAB..

No. 478,554. l Patented-July 12, 1892.

(No Model.)

` 2 sheets-sheet 2. J. BEERMAKER. BURGLAR PROOF GAR.

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NITFD STATESY PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN YBFF'RMAKFR, oF wAHoo, NEBRASKA.

BURG LAR-PROOF CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 478,554, dated J' uly 12, 1892.

Application filed February 19 1892. Serial 110.422,]15. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN BEERMAKER, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Vahoo, in the county of Saunders land State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Burglar-Proof Oar, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to burglar-proof cars for the transportation of valuables by railroad; and the objects in view are to provide a compartment adapted to be built into the end of an ordinarily-constructed express-car or cars built for the purpose, which compartment shall be burglar-proof and adapted to withstand attacks and repel shots, and, furthermore, to be so constructed as to be used as a compartment for defenders of the car during attacks by robbers and to provide for them protection against such robbers and afford them unobstructed views up and down the sides of the car and from one end of the train to the other, whereby the entrances to the several cars of the train may be covered by the riiies of the defenders.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the claims. v

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a sid elevation of a burglar-proof car constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an end view of the ear. Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the burglar-proof portion. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the front portion of the car. Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective of one of the swells and frame for operating the same.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

l designates the side wall of an express-car, and 2 the Hoor, the car being of ordinary construction, with the exception that it is provided near one end with openings 3 in its side walls. Within the car the same is traversed by a metal partition 4, whereby a compartment is formed at one end of the car and opposite the openings 3. This middle partition is nothing more than a metal frame, and hasV hinged to its opposite edges, as at 6, metal door-sections 7, and to these are hinged, as at 8, inner metal door-sections 9. Oppositelydisposed keepers 10 are secured to the sections 7 at their inner sides, and alocking-bar 11 is pivoted, as at 12, to near one edge of one of the sections 9. It will be obvious that these door-sections may be folded, so as to open the compartment and throw the same into the interior of the car, or by closing the door-sections and locking them by means of the lockingbar 11 a rigid metal partition extends entirely across the car.

A keyhole-shaped port hole or holes 13 are formed in one of the sections 9, or in both or all of the sections 9 and '7, as may be desired, and in rear of the same pockets 14 are secured, said pockets having pivoted therein guard plates 15, which normally cover the lower ends of the port-holes and are supported in such position by means of springs 16.v

It will be seen that the metal partition will preserve the compartment against attack from the interior of the car, and that persons within the compartment and provided with iirearms have a clear vision and control of the interior of the car through the port-holes.

The openings 3 in the side walls of lthe car are provided with what I term swells, and each` swell consists in a lower section 17, hinged at its lower edge, as at 18, to the bottom edge of the opening 3, and an upper section 19, hinged, as at 20, at its lower edge to the upper edge of the section 17. Side strips 2l extend upwardly and at an angle to the lower sections of the swells, and are provided at their upper ends with inwardly-disposed L-shaped brackets or arms 22. A U-shaped frame 23 is secured to the inner face of each of the upper sections 19, the terminals of the frame extending down and inclosing the side strips 2l of the lower section. The strips 2l and the terminals of the frame are provided at their inner faces with laterally-bent flanges 24 for engaging the side edges and upper edge of the opening 3 in the wall of the car. Keyhole-shaped ports 25 are formed in the upper section 19, and are provided with pockets at their inner sides, (indicated at 26,) and having guard-plates 27 for normally covering the ports located therein. Similar ports 28 are formed in the sides of the frames 23, and

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immediately above the same in the outer corners of the frame and in the upper corners of the upper sections 19 glass-covered openings 29 are provided.

In the upper corners of the frames 23 boxes 30 are provided, and the same support lamps 3l, the rays of which are deflected through the glass-coveredlight-openings, and hence light the sides of the train and opposite sides of the track on which the train stands. The L-shaped brackets or arms 22 are connected by transversely-disposed reflecting-plates 33, and the same may, in a manner hereinafter described, be swung to close the boxes for supporting the lamps, and hence reiiect the light from the lamps through the glass-covered openings, or when the swells are closed or at their inner positions, said plates will be Withdrawn from the boxes, so that the rays of light from the lamps will be shed within the compartment.

A shaft 34 is mounted in bearings 35, formed in the partition-frame 4 and end wall of the car, and from the same near its ends extend diametrically oppositely-disposed rockarms 36, which rock-arms have their extremities connected by links 37 with the upper ends of the L-shaped bracket-arms 22. The shaft is also provided with an operating-lever 38, by which it may be rocked.

yThe openings in the walls of the car have their inner faces covered by metal frames 40, and the front wall of the car is lined by a metal frame 4l, and, if desired, a metal roof 42 (shown by dotted lines) may be provided, and a bottom 43, so that the entire chamber or compartment is surrounded by metal and adapted to withstand attacks from all sides.

In case the car is attacked or running through dangerous country the rock-shaft within the car is oscillated, so that the rockarms are brought nearly to a horizontal position, which forces the swells outwardly from the walls of the car and closing the reflecting-plates against the lamp-boxes reflects the light along the sides of the entire train, so that persons looking through the ports at the sides of the swells obtain a perfect view of the entire train from the locomotive to the rear car, and with rifles or other firearms can successfully command the entire train and its entrances. The bringing of the reliectingplates against the rear sides of the lamp-boxes also darkens the car, so that the port-holes cannot be seen or any object within the compartment to offer a target for the aim of the robbers. In this manner parties of robbers may be successfully repelled and the valuables contained in the express-car preserved. When not in danger from an attack, the car may be given the ordinary appearance by swinging the rock-shaft to the opposite direction, so as to contract the swells into alignment with the sides of the car.

For the convenience of the trainmen at stations the swells can be set out and the search-lights will light both sides of the train, so as to make all objects more visible and for the convenience of the passengers getting on or oft the train.

My invention can be attached at any part of an express, baggage, mail, or passenger car where it can be made most convenient to suit the inside of the car.

Having described my invention, what I claim isl. A car provided at opposite sides wlth openings, combined with swells hinged at their lower edges to the openings and provided 4at their upper corners with light-openings and lamp-supports, of means f or openin g and closing the swells, a reiiectmg-plate located at the inner side of each light-lamp support, and means for throwing the same toward or away from the light-supports, substantially as speciiied.

2. The combination, with the car, the opposite walls of which are provided with openings, of opposite swells hinged at their lower edges to the openings, an intermediate rockshaft provided with rock-arms, and links connecting the rock-arms with the swells, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the car having the opposite openings, the hinged swell-sections having the side strips bent to engage the edges of the openings and terminating at their upper ends in arms, the upper sections hinged to the lower sections and provided at their inner edges with the U-shaped frames, having their inner edges bent to engage the opening in the car, of the intermediate rock-shaft, the rock-arms on the same, and the links connecting the rock-arms with the side strips of the lower swell-sections, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the car having the opposite openings in its side walls, of the lower swell-sections hinge at their lower edges to the openings and provided with the side strips, terminating at their upper ends in inwardly-disposed L.- shaped arms, the upper swell-sections having the U-shaped frames at their inner faces, embracing the side strips, the light supports and openings at the upper corners of the frames, the transverse reiiecting-plates mounted on the L- `shaped arms, the intermediate rock-shaft,

the lever for operating the same, the rockarms extending from the shaft, and the pivoted links connecting the outer ends of the rock-arms with the upper ends of the L- shaped arms of the side strips, substantially as specied.

5. The car having the opening in its side wall, combined with the lower swell-section hinged to the bottom of the opening, the upper swell-section hinged to the lower section, the side pieces for the two sections terminating at their inner edges in stops, and means for opening and closing the section, substantially as specified.

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6. A ear one end of which is provided with In testimony that I claim the foregoing as port-holes and in front of the same with a my own I have hereto axed my signature in transverse partition-frame, the door-sections the presence of two Witnesses.

adapted to fold and hinged to the frame, the JOHN BEERMAKER. 5 reversely-disposed keepers, and the interme- Witnesses:

diete locking-bar pivoted to one of the see- G. I. MOYER,

tions, substantially as specified. J. C. HAMILTON. 

